I made this gallery to illustrate how much more apparent the cohesiveness of our little pack becomes when we move off territory. Each of us is constantly aware of the whereabouts of each of the others. The dogs check in with me and almost always come when called. They tag after each other, often sniffing or peeing (only Cleo and Benny) on the same things. I’ve seen them all sniffing the same dog at once and usually they just go through the procedure and then take off all at once, having apparently satisfied themselves that the dog under scrutiny is no problem to them.  We had a couple of tense moments this spring with Cleo exercising her penchant for large intact males and leading the rest of the pack to the vicinity of a fine specimen; unfortunately intact males of any size are the kind of dogs that I need to keep Benny away from.  But we were lucky and got a leash on Cleo and “leave it” was uttered before things got out of hand with Benny.

Arlo is just about a year old now and is typically enamoured of playing with other dogs. He even plays by himself, tossing toys and catching it, or dropping objects in water and knocking them around with his paws. He is a natural retriever,  especially in water. He is low dog on the totem pole but cheerful nonetheless. He remains confident with new dogs but somewhat less so with new people.  He can be a bit of a toy hoarder, walking around with two raw hides in his mouth while Benny and Cleo ignore him. I take them away because I can see how much it stresses him to have to guard the objects. His submissive displays are high dramas often culminating in peeing. I try to stage manage them outside. He is physically daring and unafraid of strange objects. He jumps through a hoop easily. He is gentle with people but he can be clumsy. In general he exudes an air of happiness. He’s glad he’s a dog. He’s glad he’s alive.

The last three pictures are of the dogs eating the frozen marrow bones they got that after the walk that day. The way I see it is that the walk replaces the hunt for the domestic dog pack and as the hunt, if it is successful, culminates in sharing food so should the walk.

Think about what you like to do in your leisure time. How would a dog fit into your routine? If you are the type who enjoys long runs or a bike rides on a daily basis, by all means acquire a dog who can join you. In this case, huskies, border collies, and any of the field dogs would make a good match. If you want company on the sofa when you watch movies, (Higher energy dogs are also great at this but you have to exercise them first!), you might want to consider a Pekingese or a greyhound. Many breed books rate the energy levels and exercise requirements of the various breeds. Give this information your attention; it is an important area of compatibility for both of you and will certainly influence the nature of your relationship with your dog to a large extent. Things can get stickier with mixed breeds and there’s no doubt that you are taking a gamble. But who knows? Maybe getting that mixed breed dog who is a ball of energy might be just the catalyst you need to get your own exercise routine initiated. But do be realistic about how much time and energy you can devote to exercising your dog; it is hard to change your habits. Young dogs under two years of age in some high energy breeds need a minimum of two hours of real exercise daily.

Young dogs under the age of two years in some of the more active breeds require a minimum of two hours of full-out exercise daily. That can seem like a huge chunk of time to a busy person.

A dog who does not have enough exercise will almost certainly get into plenty of trouble. The old saying “a tired dog is a good dog” is true. It’s hard get much in the way of doggy decorum from a dog who is, sometimes literally, bouncing off the walls. An inadequately exercised dog is also much less attentive and will certainly be harder to train in all areas. If you do have a high energy dog and cannot yourself provide enough exercise there is- if money is not an obstacle- the possibility of using a daycare or hiring a dog walker. Just be sure to ask for references and check them out. You want to be sure that your dog will have fun and also be safe.

It can also be a good idea to talk to people who already own the breed of dog that you’re considering. Visit dog parks; people, as a rule, love to talk about their dogs and for the most part will be honest about what life is like with them. Evaluating the energy level of a shelter or rescue dog is not difficult if the dog is no longer a puppy. Most puppies are pretty lively which makes it difficult to predict what they will be like as adults. If you are inexperienced at making these decisions take someone with you who is more knowledgeable.

It is worthwhile doing your homework on this one. Try to see beyond the inevitable cuteness factor and resist following impulses that you haven’t thought through. A dog will, hopefully, be with you for ten or twelve years or in the case of some breeds even longer. You want a companion with whom you are genuinely compatible.

Lance Mackey is off on his 1,000 mile trek

The Yukon Quest began yesterday and you can check out the mushers’ progress. One of the neatest features of this official website is the live tracking that’s available for each musher. You can see all the check point arrival and departure times for each musher and where they are on the trail at any given moment. Pretty exciting stuff. As of this posting Zack Steer is running in first place with Lance Mackey close behind. For all the details on standings and trail conditions check out Yukon Quest.

Hugh Neff has heart-to-heart with his lead dog before heading out on the trail

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while. Its been given a nod of approval by the likes of Patricia McConnell, a behavourist whose judgment I respect. I wasn’t disappointed. This is an important book for those of us who are interested in the study of canine behaviour and who would like a deeper and more accurate understanding of dogs.  Horowitz is an ethologist; that is she studies the cognition of various species including rhinoceroses, humans and of course dogs.

What is offered to the reader between these covers is a rare opportunity to get beyond the anthropomorphisms that cloud our thinking about dogs and , “Understanding a dog’s perspective – through understanding his abilities, experience, and communication-provides that vocabulary. But we can’t translate it simply through an introspection that brings our own umwelt along….We can glimpse this by ‘acting into’ the umwelt (Perception and action combine to define and circumscribe reality for each living thing; umwelt is essentially any creature’s subjective reality.) of another animal-mindful of the constraints our sensory system places on our ability to truly do so.”

This book will lead you to be much more observant of your dog’s behaviour. After reading the section in “Inside of a Dog” that describes olfactory functioning in canines I began to notice details about how dogs sniff when out on walks. I was able to visualize the physiology of their exploration and begin to imagine the intensity of the input. It puts a whole new spin on yellow snow. As is always the case, the more one knows about a certain thing the more fascinating it becomes.

Alexandra Horowitz is a devoted and enlightened lover of dogs. Her capacity for empathy is remarkable. This book is authentic; there is no dumbing down. At the same time it is very readable; the authorial voice is warm and intimate. It manages to convey a wealth of intriguing information.

I can not resist quoting here the epigram the author has chosen to precede her text because it never fails to make me smile. Its a classic:

Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend,
Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.

Attributed to Groucho Marx

Koontz and his wife Gerda, long time supporters of Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that trains and places service dogs for people with a variety of disabilities, adopted a dog who had to retire from her post having had elbow surgery which disqualified her as a service dog. Trixie, a lovely golden retriever who embodied all the best attributes of her breed, was of course extremely well trained. She also possessed qualities that can only be described as spiritual. There was definitely  something other worldly about Trixie. After all, she was Dean Koontz’s dog.

The title is apt. Although she lived a dog’s life, in the best sense of that term, and granted that it was a life of wealth and privilege, she was in no way spoiled or corrupted by it. Her sweet and loving disposition endured throughout her life. It was a big life in the sense that she fulfilled her mission which was to bring change and insight to the humans with whom she lived. The bond that was forged between the Koontzs’ and Trixie was deep and was characterized by mutual respect. “The life of a seamstress is no smaller than the life of a queen, the life of a child with Down syndrome no less filled with promise than the life of a philosopher, because the only significant measure of your life is the positive effect you have on others…..If by example of her joy and innocence, a dog can greatly change two lives for the better, then no life is little and every life is big. The mystery of life is the source of its wonder and the wonder of life is what makes it worth living.”

When the end inevitably arrives it comes with dignity and much sorrow. I confess that I wept. I do recommend this book because it is illustrative of the depth and strength of that unique and indeed mysterious bond that is so often created between a human and a dog.

“Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and for the mistakes we make because of those illusions.”

Some of my dogs wear coats. Sometimes at night as I’m falling asleep all I can see behind my closed eyelids as I’m drifting off are dogs, scurrying along snowy paths in their coats. They are intent on their purpose of sniffing and peeing with a briskness they lack in warmer weather. Some of the puppies have irresistable urges to chuck themselves into snow banks and cavort in the bracing whiteness of it all. And it is invigorating for me as well. The dogs’ eagerness is contagious and I enjoy sharing it.

I have learned to dress for it, in layers. I have a glove and mitten “system”, involving multiple pairs that fit over or inside of each other. This year I spent what seemed at the time a ridiculous amount of money on a pair of boots but the investment has proven itself worth while. My feet are rarely cold even though I’m outside most of the day. I save my little packets of warmers for the days when it is really cold, -20 or colder, as I don’t want to get too soft, or too spoiled.

There is still vegetation visible in some places and the wind in storms breaks twigs and small branches off the trees. Bounty for the dogs who are stick aficionados. Snow also affords great digging possibilities and can be permitted; it isn’t a lawn in the winter,is it? This week’s big attraction has been the discarded Christmas trees that line the road side awaiting eventual collection. Most dogs need to give them a good sniff and possibly pee on them too. One enthusiastic young dog I was walking grasped a Christmas tree trunk in his mouth, already to haul it down the street; just the thing to spruce (!) up his crate. They do make me laugh, these dogs. Every walk is an adventure for them replete with new smells; life renews itself for them on a daily basis. They are not jaded or cynical as are so many of the humans of my acquaintance. They are not whining about the weather and longing for the spring or Florida. They are alive this winter. They inhabit the here and now; they are entirely present. I take a lesson from this.

The race season is underway. I have discovered a great website called Mushingtv.com. It features interviews with some of the greatest names in mushing, Lance Mackey, Jeff King and Sebastien Schnuelle. You can hear them talk about their training routines and their hopes for this season. It’s great. But do check it out now because they are planning to start charging a fee to see their videos. Right now its still free.

Here’s a sample:

When I discovered that the author of Walking Ollie had a new book out I was very eager to read it. I wasn’t disappointed. Fetching Dylan is a sensitive account of the acquisition and rearing of the saluki pup who has the distinction of being Ollie’s “little brother”. Foster is an acute observer of his dogs as well as a witty and entertaining  story teller.  The book has a literary flavour with plenty of relevant references. All most all of this narrative is set outside in fields or beaches, anywhere that two dogs who were born to run can cut loose and have a tear.  There are hilarious accounts of adventures and misadventures. Stephen Foster is endowed with a rare degree of patience and an intense love for his dogs as they are meant to be.  As the cliche goes, read this book; you’ll laugh; you’ll cry.

Turning now to The Wolf in the Parlor, I’m sure that this book will engender some controversy amongst those of a scientific bent who wish to examine the origins of  the unique relationship between people and dogs. Jon Franklin, a science writer by profession and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, puts forth cogent arguments to support his views on the how and why of canine domestication.  But the truth is, as he points out, when examining historical events at such a remove we have few pieces of physical evidence from which to construct our hypotheses. It is more a case of imaginative speculation and creative reconstruction of events. It seems plausible that around the time that humans began keeping ruminant animals, ie began to be herders, dogs  (canis familiaris) as opposed to wolves (canis lupus) are distinguishable primarily by virtue of a fairly drastic shortening of the muzzle. Humans and dogs developed a mutually beneficial relationship as hunters and herders. Virtually symbiotic in nature, this relationship was critical in assuring the long term success of both species. The detailed examination of this topic makes for fascinating reading.

Jon Franklin was not always interested in dogs. He is quite open in admitting that for most of his life he never really noticed dogs or thought about them. They were just sort of present in the background and of course they belonged to other people. When he proposed to his wife to be she had only one condition to which he must agree before she assented to marriage. She wanted a dog. He agreed without much thought; it didn’t seem like a big deal. But it was. Living with a dog and spending a good deal of time with the dog out of doors started things turning over in his mind and he set out to find out as much as he could about the origins and  evolution of these unique creatures and the very profound bond between humans and canines. This book is the result of those enquiries.

The Wolf in the Parlor by Jon Franklin

Fetching Dylan by Stephen Foster